I believe this article is one of the most insightful, objective, and realistic narratives I have read concerning the controversial issue of
Palestinian statehood. I sincerely hope that Mr. Zakaria's vision and methodology for achieving a Palestinian state eventually comes to fruition for
the sake of all the innocent Israeli and Palestinian people in the region.

I am opposed to the Palestinian effort at the United Nations because I think that it is going to get them nowhere. This is not the time for romantic
gestures. This is the time for them to do something that will actually help them get a Palestinian state - a goal that I support.

What is the likely outcome at the U.N.? The likely outcome is that the push is going to go nowhere in the Security Council. It may get to the General
Assembly, and there may be a symbolic vote. But the result of that symbolic vote may well be that they lose funds - financial support from Israel, the
U.S. and potentially some European countries - and it will make the Israelis feel that the Palestinians have gone in a unilateral direction when the
only viable strategy is a bilateral one.

At the end of the day, there is only one way you’re going to get a Palestinian state. And that’s if the Israelis agree to it. They have the land;
they have the guns; they have the money. Palestinians may regard it as deeply unfair, and I understand that. But it is the world that we live in. The
only way they’re going to get a Palestinian state is to engage directly with the Israelis.

The Israelis have not been willing to be a productive partner in recent years, though it is worth remembering that the Israeli government under Ehud
Barak did make a very serious effort and the Israeli government under Ehud Olmert made a very serious offer to the Palestinians. So, let’s not
confuse Benjamin Netanyahu’s intransigence with all Israeli governments in recent years. The current government in Israel is clearly motivated by
Israeli domestic politics. It fears the fragile governing coalition will fall apart. Perhaps, it is also motivated by ideological reasons. It is not
in any way being a constructive partner.

I think the U.N. vote is an understandable act of frustration on the part of the Palestinians, but they’re not going to get a Palestinian state
through frustration. They’re going to get it by being smart and figuring out what they need to do to get the Israelis to engage in serious
negotiations. I think Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad’s strategy of building a state from the ground up has been an incredibly successful
one, and you can see it in the fact that Israelis have increasing respect for the institutions on the ground in the West Bank.

I think the next big push the Palestinians need to figure out is how to get control of Gaza. If you have half of the Palestinian leadership that
engages in terrorism and does not accept Israel’s right to exist, the Israelis are simply not going to create a Palestinian state under those
conditions.

Again, I’m leaving morality aside for now and just asking, “What is the practical path to a Palestinian state?” And the practical path has to be
to sideline Hamas in some way or another. The more good governance the Palestinian authority is able to demonstrate, the more likely it is that Hamas
will be sidelined.

I’m convinced of the cause; I would like to see a Palestinian state, and I would like to see it broadly speaking on the boundaries that President
Clinton’s plan talked about.

Someone who has frequently been in these negotiations has told me:

“It’s not that there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Everybody sees the light at the end of the tunnel. The light at the end of the tunnel
is blindingly clear and obvious. The problem is there’s no tunnel. There is no actual concrete path to getting to that light.”

And it isn’t going to happen with grand gestures at the United Nations. It’s going to happen through a series of very smart, thoughtful and
practical steps along the way.

Watch closely as people automatically label him either as a traitor or as a Zionist puppet/agent that spreads disinfo, without even trying to
understand what is he talking about.

On topic: What he says is true to an extent. The truth is that Israel is the landlord now, not the UN, not anyone on ATS. The only way to achieve
independence (independence? I'll address that soon) is through negotiation on Israel's terms, which are mostly recognition of Israel as a Jewish
state (eventho 1 million residents are Arabs) with Jerusalem as it's capital, and the general right to exist.

People think that by an armed resistance the Palestinians will achieve their goals, and I laugh at their faces. They will also not achieve anything by
filing a rushed bid for statehood to the UN as long as they don't even have a proper government structure, let alone a sane government which
recognizes their landlord which is Israel. Yes I know it stabs some of your hearts reading that, but that is the truth and you have to accept it. No
whine on ATS is going to change it so you'd rather address reality as it is.

Now, independence comes at a price. Independence means cutting the US funds to the Palestinians (US is the number 1 funding source by the way),
cutting several European funds, cutting Israeli funds, cutting fuel supply by Israel. Is independence really worth it? What would they gain exactly?
The right to have stupid aid ships dropping in pitiful excuse for humanitarian aid?

The most important issue that I keep addressing in this forum is the fact that they can't even maintain their own armed militias. I don't know how
many times I've said this, but even a single rocket to Israel by an unofficial source in independent Palestine will mean it's an act of war which
Israel will respond without any restraint like it usually does. If you think Israel attacked Gaza with maximum force you are dead wrong. If Israel
does that, Gaza and the West Bank will be nothing but sand in a matter of hours.

Originally posted by CasiusIgnoranze
He is a disinfo agent and also part of the Bilderberg Group.

LOL, sooner than I expected. Way to go denying ignorance buddy. Label anyone with a different opinion as a disinfo agent / Bilderberg / Zionist puppet
/ reptilian alien. A real mature way to deal with things.

Originally posted by benrl
We need to see the situation as it is and handle it that way, not by what we think it should be.

I think people here think if they get the statehood all their problems are gone.

Thats not what will happen, Israel wont allow it right or wrong we have to deal with reality.

A statehood approved by the UN, means nothing with out the force to back it up, much like Israel proved, and these people don't have the resources to
back up the statehood bid.

edit on 22-9-2011 by benrl because: (no reason given)

Agreed. A significant obstacle to peace at the moment is that two distinct factions with conflicting agendas represent the Palestinians. Hamas opposes
Abbas and the PLO because they are willing to accept a two state solution that recognizes Israel's right to exist. How can Israel negotiate in good
faith when a terrorist organization is the elected governing body of Gaza and is sworn to Israel's destruction? If Gaza and the West Bank were united
in their approach and represented by a moderate, solitary, governing body, it would surely expedite the peace process in the region.

. If you disagree with the valid points he presented, how about presenting a cogent rebuttal?

dont the Palestinians have a right to a homeland? the fact that west and UN Had no problems of allowing radical albanians giving them the
independence without problems yet when Palestinians try this they are meet with strong opposition from the west.

Unfortunately the so called journalists is a spokes person for the NWO crowd. He is used to fool people into thinking they are getting a unbiased
report. After all look at his name and the color of his skin (ya right). I have gotten so sick of his bs rhetoric I have stopped watching anything he
says like the rest of MSM. People who rely on the MSM need to get unplugged. You are feeding your mind with nothing but propaganda.

Until any of these high heid yins actually spend some time living under an oppressive regime, feel whats it's like having their home demolished,
their family and friends murdered or taken away and jailed, or have their children bombed from the air I don't see what right they have to say whats
best for those people who are living in such conditions.

If he or any of them were to go to Gaza or West Bank and live there for even a month and then come back and tell us what the best way forward is then
I would listen to them.

Yeah.... that tool of the Elites is merely saying that ---'the practical reason: '

is that the USA/NATO will need to funnel more money-men-materials into Israel

when it was already determined that the $8-11 Billion in Aid
and the Two front wars involving Israeli's enemies (iraq/afghanistan)
but not including their antagonists (Iran/Syria/Jordan to an extent.) & Lebanon & soon to be Turkey and the Pushtan/rebels fighting those Turkish
troops...

screw them... tell 'em to keep their heads above water--- ergo survive- at least until the Israeli V Saudi conflict begins...
then the USA can interviene for Israel, without the protests of the masses

Even Obama wants Palestine to be an independent state, but right now he's being a hypocritical bastard by allowing all the other middle east countries
like Libya, Egypt, Tunisia have their "freedom" through deliberate Western intervention, but denying that privilege to the Palestinians.

The Palestinians are doing Israel a favour by asking for their own state. The alternative is a single state, called something we don't know yet,
which includes all the people currently living in what we call Israel plus those in occupied territory generally known as Palestinians without a
state.

If the single state option comes about it will be the end of Israel as we know it.

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